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Jaguars Notebook: Team more optimistic Gabbert will play

Bob.Self@jacksonville.com Jaguars quarterback Blaine Gabbert looks frustrated on the sideline while coach Mike Mularkey talks with him in last week's game against the Houston Texans.

It appears Jaguars quarterback Blaine Gabbert won’t have to wait an extra week to help atone for the team’s blowout loss to Houston.

Gabbert was held out of the final possession because of a glute muscle injury, but two-plus days of recovery time have him and coach Mike Mularkey optimistic about his availability for Sunday’s game at Indianapolis.

Gabbert went through the full practice on Wednesday.

“It’s good,” he said before the workout. “I’m just staying on top of it, managing it and it’s getting better. I’m just worried about it getting better, getting out on the practice field, getting the reps and being prepared for Sunday.”

Also before practice, Mularkey said: “We’ll just start out gradually and see how he responds. … He’ll go if we let him. I just want to make sure. I want to be smart with him.”

Gabbert, who hasn’t missed any of his 16 NFL starts because of injury, had career lows in completions (seven) and passing yards (53) in the 27-7 loss to Houston. He was emphatic when asked if reviewing the Texans tape was beneficial.

“You have to look at it,” he said. “It’s a learning experience. You don’t want to have many bad days like that. You have to learn from it, look at it, diagnose all of the problems, see where the errors were made, move on and get better.”

The Jaguars are planning for contingencies if Gabbert suffers a setback or doesn’t progress enough to play. Chad Henne would start, but a quarterback would likely be added to the 53-man roster.

John Parker Wilson is the practice squad quarterback.

“He was in this offense for two years in Atlanta so he knows it pretty well – that’s why we brought him in here,” Mularkey said.

Mularkey added that Jordan Palmer, released after the preseason, would “definitely” be another option.

Moving on to IndyThe Jaguars’ two losses have been opposite ends of the spectrum – the overtime loss to Minnesota in which they blew a late lead and the fiasco against Houston in which they were never in the game.

Through a half-day of preparation, Mularkey liked the Jaguars’ approach.

“If I learned one thing from [former Steelers] coach [Chuck] Noll, it was that when things don’t go exactly right, it’s not time to change things, it’s time to do things better,” Mularkey said. “We need to do that. … I’m including us as coaches. We can all just continue to do things the best we can because if we don’t, we can see the results – they haven’t been good.”

Said running back Maurice Jones-Drew: “I think it’s in the rear view now. The last couple of games haven’t been so good for us but we can take the good out of it, take the bad and learn from it, and get ready to play Indy.”

Six don’t practiceAmong the seven injured Jaguars, only linebacker Daryl Smith (groin) and defensive end George Selvie (knee) aren’t expected to be available for Sunday.

Left tackle Cam Bradfield (ankle) and left guard Eben Britton (ankle) did not practice. “I want to see them off to the side doing some football skills before we put them [in team drills],” said Mularkey, who added Britton remains ahead of Bradfield in the recovery process.

Running back Rashad Jennings (knee) also did not practice. Center Brad Meester and defensive tackle Tyson Alualu had the day off.

Cornerback Derrick Cox (hamstring) and defensive end Austen Lane (foot) returned in a limited role and could make their season debuts this week.

Etc.Colts coach Chuck Pagano delivered high praise for Jones-Drew, who has averaged 101.0 yards per game against Indianapolis. “We kind of refer to him as a rolling ball of butcher knives,” Pagano said. “The guy is a tremendous talent. He’s hard to find behind that big offensive line and he’s hard to bring down. He’s tough as damn nails.” … The Jaguars swapped out tight ends, signing Maurice Stovall and releasing Stephen Spach. Stovall, a former receiver, was cut by Detroit in training camp; Spach played one game for the Jaguars after arriving last week.